Indonesia

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is holding separate summits with China, Japan, South Korea, Canada and the US, allowing big power rivalries and regional issues from North Korean missiles to the South China Sea to grab considerable attention. US Vice President Kamala Harris is attending the event in place of President Joe Biden, who will soon depart …

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is gearing up to make his presence felt at the upcoming 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Indonesia.  The summit, slated for September 5 to 7, 2023, will unfold in Jakarta and hold the spotlight on fast-tracking the ASEAN community building endeavor. The President is set to immerse himself in a series of …

Biden’s Upcoming Vietnam Visit Sparks Questions As President Joe Biden prepares to visit Vietnam on September 10 after the G20 summit in India, questions arise about the United States’ strategic priorities in the region.  The choice to visit Vietnam over attending key regional meetings hosted by Indonesia highlights the evolving dynamics in Southeast Asia and the importance of bilateral relationships …

In a bid to foster cultural and educational ties, the Chinese Consulate General in Denpasar, Bali, granted Mandarin language education scholarships to 100 students and teachers from 11 three-language schools in Bali and West Nusa Tenggara. The awardees, who received the scholarships on Tuesday, were chosen for their commitment to language learning. The head of special education and special services …

The EU is investigating Indonesian biodiesel to establish whether its circumventing the European Union’s duties by going through China and Britain The bloc highlighted the European Biodiesel Board’s request which contains sufficient evidence that the product is avoiding import duties. Through this probe, the EU reflects its commitment to ensuring fair and transparent trade practices, while addressing environmental and economic …

Protesters in Indonesia have gone on hunger strike in order to hasten the approval of legislation that will provide better protection for domestic workers. The project was launched in response to the failure of a measure in parliament to protect the rights and welfare of the country’s domestic employees. The hunger strike, which was organized by a coalition of trade …

The Miss Universe Organization has announced the end of its collaboration with an Indonesian event organizer, a landmark milestone that demonstrates the global entertainment industry’s commitment to ethics and accountability. The decision comes in the aftermath of significant sexual harassment claims levied against the organizer, highlighting the significance of maintaining a safe and respected atmosphere within the domain of beauty …

Indonesia and Cambodia have reiterated their commitment to working together and combating this severe issue, marking a significant step toward eradicating human trafficking. This considerable conversation took place at the 26th ASEAN Directors-General of Immigration Departments and Heads of Consular Affairs Divisions of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (DGICM) forum, which was held in Phuket, Thailand, from August 8 to …

The ambitious high-speed rail project in Indonesia has been delayed. The project is valued at $7.3 billion and is supported by a group of Chinese and Indonesian state-owned enterprises. The project, a component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, seeks to build a 142-kilometre (88-mile) railway linking Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, with Bandung. The project’s original completion date was …

By the end of 2023, Nunung Nuryantono, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture’s deputy for coordination of social welfare improvement, expects the country’s extreme poverty rate to drop to 0.8 or 0.9 per cent. This forecast is consistent with Presidential Instruction No. 4, issued in 2022, which intends to eradicate severe poverty by 2024 completely. According to the …